Human conflict from Neanderthals to the Samburu : structure and agency in webs of violence

This book examines human conflict throughout history, the reasons behind the struggles, and why it persists. The volume delves into the causes of human conflict and what can be done about them. Based on detailed descriptions that support insightful interpretations, the book explores significant historical events in the course of human history. By pursuing a "web of violence" approach, it raises and answers questions about the sources of conflict and how it may or may not be resolved through investigations into human agency and practice. It evaluates lessons learned concerning human conflict, violence, and warfare. To illustrate these lessons, the book presents a broad geographical and temporal set of data, including research on the time of Neanderthals in Europe (20-30 thousand years ago); the Late Neolithic civilization on the Mediterranean (6-8 thousand years ago); medieval Ireland; contemporary history of the Western Dani peoples of West Papua; and, finally, recent issues in Brazil, Congo, and Kenya.-- Provided by publisher Front Matter ....Pages i-vii Introduction (William P. Kiblinger)....Pages 1-10 The Mammoth Steppe in Relation to the Fate of Modern Humans and Neanderthals (Valerius Geist)....Pages 11-21 The Meaning of Projectile Points in the Late Neolithic of the Northern Levant: A Case Study from the Settlement of Shir, Syria (Laura Dietrich, Dörte Rokitta-Krumnow, Oliver Dietrich)....Pages 23-38 Was There a Method to Their Madness? Warfare, Alliance Formation, and the Origins of the Irish Medieval State (D. Blair Gibson)....Pages 39-55 Seeking Justice, Preserving Honor: War and Peace Among the Western Dani (Douglas Hayward)....Pages 57-80 Forced Labor and Disciplinary Control: A History of Indigenous Peoples’ Treatment and Agency in the City of Manaus, Brazil (Ana Luiza M. Soares)....Pages 81-104 Culpability for Violence in the Congo: Lessons from the Crisis of 1960–1965 (A. C. Roosevelt)....Pages 105-174 Killing, Mercy, and Empathic Emotions: The Emotional Lives of East African Warriors (Bilinda Straight, Amy Naugle, Jen Farman, Cecilia Root, Stephen Lekalgitele, Charles Owuor Olungah)....Pages 175-192 Conclusions and Commentary (William P. Kiblinger)....Pages 193-204